Slab turning device



P 1942- w. A. EZELL 2,294,841

SLAB TURNING DEVICE Filed July 18, 1941 ttorncg Patented Sept. 1, 1942UNITED STATES T OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to a slab turning device and more particularly toa device adapted for use in a steel mill capable of turning billets orslabs primarily for effecting the removal of scale from the surfacesthereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a slab or billetturning device wherein portions thereof comprise table-like rollscapable of movement so that a slab or billet may be moved onto or ofi ofthe slab turning device.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device makingpossible the utilization of the scale removing actions of conveyer tablerolls.

It is well known that in reducing a billet one of the first stagescomprises a reduction of the billet to a slab which slab is eventuallyreduced by successive stands of rolling mills to desirable thicknessesof material comprising plate, skelp and other primary steel products.

It is also well known that the slab ready for reduction upon leaving theheating furnace usually carries a considerable amount of scale upon thesurfaces thereof which scale is a direct result of oxidation of themetal and which scale is objectionable and, therefore, it is desirablethat the scale be removed as completely as possible prior to theprincipal reduction of the steel slab.

It has been determined that in passing the slab over the conventionalconveyer tables which comprise a plurality of revolving rolls, theaction of the rolls against the surface of the slab tends to break upand remove the scale. In order that the scale can thus be removed fromboth of the large surfaces of the slab it is, therefore, desirable thatmeans be employed to turn the slab after it has traveled a reasonabledistance so that the scale removing action takes place upon both thelower and uppermost surfaces of the slab as in progressing toward thestands of the rolling mill. The device comprising this inventionprovides for the turning of the slab and it is, therefore, placed in theconveyer table route preferably midway between the heating furnace andthe first stands of the rolling mill.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the slab turning device showing theelevating arms thereof in flat horizontal position. Dotted linesillustrate the position of a slab on the device prior to the turningoperation.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the slab turning device showing theelevating arms thereof in elevated position. Dotted lines thereonillustrate the position of a slab about to be turned by the elevatingarms.

By referring to the drawing and Figure l in particular it will be seenthat a slab turning device comprising a rectangular frame having sidesections l0 and end sections II, the side sections It carrying betweenthem in transverse position a plurality of rotatably positioned tablerolls l2 the neck portions of which are carried in suitable bearings inthe side section II) of the frame and shaft-like extensions I3 areadapted to be connected by any suitable means to a power source (notshown).

By referring to Figure 2'of the drawing it will be noted that theuppermost surfaces of the table rolls l2 form a plane somewhat above thelevel of the rectangular frame of the device. It will thus be obviousthat the slab turning device, when positioned with the end sections H ofthe frame adjacent other suitable conveyer tables, will be in a positionto receive slabs thereon and capable of delivering slabs thereto.

By referring again to Figure 1 it will be seen that positioned betweenand below the end sections ll of the frame and the rolls l2 there arechannel-like structures or tracks M in each of which is positioned apair of elevating arms. Each of the pairs of elevating arms comprise abifurcated member I5 and an elevating member I5A attached thereto. Eachof the bifurcated members I5 is provided at its free end with a rollerI6 and with a pair of upturned projections I! which are adapted toengage the edges of a slab positioned upon the turning device. In orderthat the elevating arms may be operated, as illustrated in Figure 2, sothat a slabmay be efiiciently turned thereby, a motivating shaft [8A ispositioned lengthwise of the device at one side thereof and theoutermost ends of the elevating arms I5A are securely afiixed thereto asindicated at points 18; thus a partial rotating motion imparted to themotivating shaft |8A by any desirable means such as for example, throughthe arm l9 aflixed thereto, will result in the rotation of the shaft andthe upward movement of the elevating arms I5A and bifurcated members l5and any slab that may be positioned on the slab turning device. Pivots29 establish movable connection between the elevating arms ISA and thebifurcated members [5. In order that slabs rolling onto the turningdevice from adjacent conveyer tables will be guided into desirablepositon thereon, lengthwise guide members 2| are positioned at each sideof the device adjacent the side members ll] of the frame and theiroutermost ends are suitably shaped to efiectively guide a slab intoposition for the turning operation.

By referring now to Figure 2 of the drawing it will be observed that atsuch time as the elevating mechanism comprising the elevating arms |5Aand the bifurcated members [5 have reached the position thereinillustrated, a slab carried upon the bifurcated members l5 will bebrought into engagement with a pair of movably positioned blockingmembers 22 the outermost ends of which are preferably formed with aradius so that they will not damage the surface of the slab and whichblocking members 22 are preferably of inverted L-shape design andmovably positioned on pivots 23 between structural supporting assemblies24 which in turn are preferably afiixed to and form a structural part'ofthe rectangular frame and particularly the side section Hi thereof,against which they are positioned.

As illustrated in Figure 2 the bifurcated members l5 when movedsidewardly along the channels M on the rollers IE will bring a slabpositioned thereon, as illustrated in dotted lines, into engagement withthe outermost ends of the blocking members 22 and thus cause the slab tobe tilted outwardly therefrom and thus turned over and dropped back uponthe table rolls E2 of the turning device from whence, upon the movementof the rolls l2, the slab may be delivered onto an adjacent conveyertable. It will thus be seen that as the slab approaches the turningdevice the action of the conventional table rolls will cause a looseningof the scale on the bottom of the slab and its removal therefrom andthat by turning the slab as through the operation of the device hereindescribed and illustrated the other side of the slab may be thensubjected to the same scale removing action of successive conveyertables as the slab travels on toward the rolling mill.

Again referring to Figure 2 of the drawing it will be noted that thechannel I4 is formed with a slight elevation MA at one end thereof whichis adapted to cause the bifurcated members l5 to move upwardly at theapproximate moment that the slab is tilted outwardly therefrom by reasonof the action of the blocking members 22 thereagainst. This actionfacilitates the rapid tilting or tipping of the slab and insures itsaccurate positioning upon the table rolls I2 after it has fallen thereonthus completing the turning operation satisfactorily.

In summary it will be observed that a slab moves upon the turning devicefrom an adjacent conveyer table. The table rolls E2 of the device arestopped and suitable motion imparted the elevating mechanism which inturn picks up the slab, moves it sideways and tips it over thuseffectively turning it. With the elevating arms and bifurcated membersstill in elevated position and in extreme side position the table rolls[2 of the device are caused to move and the slab is moved off theturning device onto an adjacent conveyer table. The elevating mechanismcomprising the elevating arms I5A and the bifurcated members I5 are thenlowered into position and the device is ready for repeated operation.

It will be obvious that any suitable power source such as a hydraulicpiston mechanism, a power driven excentric or any other practical devicemay be employed to impart the partial motion necessary to the elevatingmechanism. It will also be obvious that automatic limit controls of aconventional form and design may be employed so that a slab rolling ontothe turning device will automatically activate the turning device andupon its being turned will in turn activate other controls of aconventional type to cause the slab to move off the turning device. Itwill thus be seen that the slab turning device permits the fullutilization of the scale removing action of the conveyer rolls andresults in a slab delivered to the mill in relatively clean condition.It will be further observed that the device when provided with automaticcontrols is completely automatic in operation and does not necessarilyneed the attention of an operator,

What I claim is:

1. In a slab turning device including a roller table having transverselypositioned tracks, elevating mechanism adapted to lift and turn a slabthereon, said mechanism comprising a plurality of hinged arms positionedtransversely of the said table on said tracks, said arms arranged inpairs and pivoted together at adjacent ends, one of each pair of thesaid hinged arms pivoted to the said table at one side thereof, andmeans for imparting upward movement to the said hinged arms so as tolift and tip a slab thereon.

2. In a slab turning device including a roller table having transverselypositioned tracks, elevating mechanism adapted to lift and turn a slabthereon, said mechanism comprising a plurality of hinged arms positionedtransversely of the said table on said tracks, said arms arranged inpairs and pivoted together at adjacent ends, one of each pair of thesaid hinged arms pivoted to the said table at one side thereof, andmeans for imparting upward movement to the said hinged arms so as tolift and tip a slab thereon, said means comprising a rotatable shaftforming the said pivot between the said arms and the said table.

3. In a slab turning device including a roller table having transverselypositioned tracks, elevating mechanism adapted to lift and turn a slabthereon, said mechanism comprising a plurality of hinged arms positionedtransversely of the said table on said tracks, said arms arranged inpairs and pivoted together at adjacent ends, one of each pair of thesaid hinged arms pivoted to the said table at one side thereof, andmeans for imparting upward movement to the said hinged arms so as tolift and tip a slab thereon, rollers positioned on the free ends of eachpair of the said hinged arms together with means formed on the free endsof each of the said arms adapted to engage the edge of a slab thereon.

4. In a slab turning device including a roller table having transverselypositioned tracks, elevating mechanism adapted to lift and turn a slabthereon, said mechanism comprising a plurality of hinged arms positionedtransversely of the said table on said tracks, said arms arranged inpairs and pivoted together at adjacent ends, one of each pair of thesaid hinged arms pivoted to the said table at one side thereof, andmeans for imparting upward movement to the said hinged arms so as tolift and tip a slab thereon, said means comprising a rotatable shaftforming the said table on said tracks, said arms arranged in said pivotbetween the said arms and the said table, rollers positioned on the freeends of each pair of the said hinged arms together with means formed onthe free ends of each of the said arms adapted to engage the edge of aslab thereon.

5. The combination of a roller table having transversely positionedtracks and mechanism for lifting and tipping over a slab thereon, saidmechanism comprising a plurality of hinged elevating members positionedtransversely of the pairs and pivoted together at adjacent ends, and

normally below the uppermost surfaces of the said rollertable, means forelevating the said hinged elevating members, each of the said elevatingmembers pivoted to the roller table side at one side thereof, andblocking members sup-v ported above the roller table in position to beengaged by a slab being elevated, whereby the slab is caused to assumean inverted position on the roller table.

WILLIAM A. EZELL.

